Aluminium solutions for rail vehicles and passenger trains
Mobility and weight saving are fundamental requirements for state of the art sustainable manufacturing of rail rolling stock and vehicles. For the vast majority of applications aluminium is the preferred material. Although substitutes are available for rail vehicle construction, extruded large profiles and assemblies made of aluminium are often the first choice for rail vehicles and passenger trains. Apart from weight reduction the advantages of the material range from energy, fuel and CO2 savings to specially developed alloys tailored to customer requirements. STEP-G draws on a wealth of experience in the extrusion and further processing of high quality and high complexity large profiles made of aluminium. Our portfolio covers extruded and machined aluminium profiles as well as welded components.
High-complexity aluminium large profiles from one source
Weight saving is not the only factor. Flexible manufacturing of all assemblies is also important for manufacturers of rail rolling stock and passenger trains. Our customers require everything from individual components to complex assemblies made of aluminium. Depending on the customer order we supply various profile cross-sections for train bodies. STEP-G manufactures aluminium assemblies in different degrees of complexity for rail vehicle manufacturers:
- Individual profiles
- Roofs
- Side panels
- Floor panels
- End panels
- Complex welded assemblies for front sections and crash elements
The challenges here are the complexity of the cross-sections and the profile widths. STEP-G operates Europe’s largest aluminium extrusion press at our Bonn location. With a power of 100 MN, the plant produces profiles up to 30 metres long and 750 millimetres wide. This extensive range of highly complex aluminium large profiles and assemblies is critically important for the transport industry.
Large profile welding
STEP-G not only offers various aluminium profile dimensions. We also draw on extensive welding expertise. For state of the art manufacturing. Our customers in the rail vehicle industry also benefit from our robotic welding plant as well as two automated longitudinal welding systems for 25-metre seams at the STEP-G location in Bonn. We also use manual and flexible MIG and WIG welding for top-quality individual components. Find out more about our extensive range of welding.
Further processing options for rail vehicles
Especially when it comes to rail vehicles manual handling is a challenge. For optimal further processing of our aluminium profiles we use several 5-axis milling plants with a length of up to 30 metres, as well as our portal milling machine. Our high-performance CNC plants and expertise regarding dies guarantee top processing quality for STEP-G customers’ aluminium components and assemblies. Thanks to our automatic grinding machine we produce excellent surface finishes on welded assemblies. This means rail vehicle manufacturers get their side panels in “ready-for-paint” quality, which slashes painting costs. Take a look at our machining options.
Top technical support from the experts at STEP-G
STEP-G customers from the rail vehicle industry can rely on our experienced experts for competent, comprehensive technical support. Whatever the project, from high-speed to underground trains, our experts are there for you. STEP-G is proud to be a major partner for complex extruded large profiles made of aluminium. During the project design phase, we carry out a simulation of the dies. Together with the manufacturer, we simulate the material flow, the flow rate of the aluminium and the temperature and strength of the die. This simulation shortens the design phase, so our customers receive their extruded aluminium profiles faster.
Our service portfolio is completed by machining, welding, assembly and component manufacturing right up to the finished end product. STEP-G also holds IRIS certification ISO/TS 22163 for the rail vehicle industry based on DIN EN ISO 9001. Take a look at our other certifications in the rail vehicle sector. Throughout the process along the entire value creation chain, we also focus on seamless, effective environmental management and occupational health and safety management.
